Apple Seizes Second Place in China as Smartphone Sales Hit 14-Year Low

Apple moved from sixth to second place in China’s smartphone market during the third quarter of 2026. The company captured 19.5% of all shipments in the country, a rise of 4.8 percentage points from the same period in 2025. This gain positioned Apple behind only Huawei, which held a 21.3% share.

Total smartphone shipments in China fell 10% year over year, marking the lowest level in 14 years. Counterpoint Research, which released the data on October 23, attributed the decline to rising memory prices that squeezed industry margins. Apple and Huawei were the only two of the six leading brands to increase their market share during this downturn.

Rivals lost ground as the overall market shrank. Vivo’s share dropped 2.8 percentage points to 15.2%, while OPPO slipped 1.3 points to 15.1%. Xiaomi fell 1.6 points to 13.5%, and HONOR declined 2.2 points to 12.7%. Manufacturers outside the top five collectively lost 2 percentage points, ending the quarter with a 2.8% combined share.

Counterpoint cited the iPhone 18 Pro series as a primary driver of Apple’s performance. The firm noted that the new lineup saw a strong launch, with sales in the first three weeks up 23.5% compared to the iPhone 17 Pro series. The report also suggested that the delayed arrival of the base iPhone 18 may have shifted consumer demand toward the higher-end Pro models.

These figures differ slightly from a report published earlier by IDC. IDC estimated that Chinese smartphone shipments fell 15.4% year over year in the third quarter. In that analysis, Apple’s share rose to 17.8%, even as its total iPhone shipments declined by 4.3%. IDC also reported that global smartphone shipments fell a record 22% during the same period.

Looking ahead, Counterpoint warned that market conditions may remain challenging for the fourth quarter. Higher device prices are causing consumers to delay upgrades, wait for promotions, or purchase refurbished units. This shift in buying behavior is expected to continue putting pressure on demand.